Q: We have a tall, full and thorny 7-year-old lemon tree. Should it have thorns? Four years ago it had 8-10 lemons on one main lower branch. Every year since, it bears less fruit on that branch and doesn't grow much. We would appreciate any advice. M.M., Alvin

A:Lemons have varying amounts of thorns, depending on the variety. However, if you have a grafted lemon, the thorny branches may be suckers that have grown from the rootstock below the graft. If allowed to grow, these can cut production, as they drain the energy from more desirable branches. It's best to remove these as they emerge. If you do so in late winter, and new branches don't grow from the desirable part of the tree, you might consider planting a new tree. There are great citrus varieties available at winter fruit sales.